Rotary priniting press



ocns, 1968 v W I ETAL' I "3,404,626

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed May 12, 1965 5 Sheets -Sheet 1 mvzsw'ron s. RAYMOND E. WHITE- BRADFORD R. STETSON MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM B PINE ATTORNEYS R. E. WHITE ET AL ROTARY PRINTING PRESS INVENTORS RAYMOND E. WHITE BRADFORD R. STETSON BY I v MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM 8| PINE ATTORNEYS A v V fih Q Q A $0 yliuw m6 N h m i H w T UH w! A Filed May 12, 1965.

Oct. 8, 1968 R. E. WHITE ET AL ROTARY PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 12, 1965 mN QE INVENTORS.

, RAYMOND E. WHITE BRADFORD R. STETSON ATTORNEYS Oct. 8, 1968 R. E. WHITE ET AL $404,626

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed May 12, 1965' INVENTORS. RAYMOND E. WHITE BRADFORD RSTETSON MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM a PINE ATTORNEYS Oct. 8, 1968 R. E. WHITE ET AL 3,404,626

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 12, 1965 I70 /7 Z 20 Z25 FIG.4

INVENTORS. RAYMOND E. WHITE BRADFORD R. STETSON ATTORNEYS United-.States Patent -3,404,626 a ROTARY PRINTING PRES Raymond E. .White,- Wayzata,iand Bradford, R. Stetson Minneapolis, Minn., assignors to Bemis Company, Inc.,

a corporation of Missouri Filed May 12, 1965, Ser. No. 455,116 4 Claims. (Cl. 101-177) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention provides a rotary multicolor offset web' printing press in which the printing and offset cylinders may be readily and easily replaced by others of widely different diameter, all to be driven from a common central gear.

Individual inking mechanisms are mounted in carriages movable toward and from the printing cylinders, the inking mechanisms being relatively movable with respect to supporting side frames so that the inking mechanisms may be spaced from the printing cylinders to allow a workman to operate on the inking mechanisms or cylinders.

The plate cylinders and offset cylinders have shafts which are shorter than the distance between their supporting members whereby the cylinders and their shafts may be removed from the press by. movement normal to the shafts. a

The present invention relates to a novel and improved rotary, multicolor web printing press particularly for use with printing and blanket cylinders of widely different diameters and especially useful in the printing of web material tonbe in de into finished products, such as bags of different sizes.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinaf terand in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by 'means of the instrumentalities and combinations'pointed out in the appended claims.

T he invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described. a

[The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constitutirfga part hereoffillustrate one form of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings: V

' FIGURE 1 is a schematic side elevation of a multicolor rotary printing press according to the present in vention, showing the relation of various printing cylinders and driving means to each-other, and also showing an inking mechanism carriagein inking position, as well as showing the press as it is being changed to print with a different size'of plate cylinder; I I

' FIGURE 2A'is a horizontal developed sectional view showing a typical driving arrangement, impression cylinder and a portion of an offsetcylinder, some of the parts being substantially duplicated for printing the other colors; FIGURE 2B is asimilarsectional view showing the remainder ofthe offset cylinder, plate cylinder, form inking roller and vibrating ink drum;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed, fragmentary sectional view showing one end oftheplate cylinder, or offset cylinder, i'ised inthe-preferred embodiment of the present inveni I la n I "FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view,'taken between a side frame and the ends of the ink drum and form rollers andshowingga portion of the inking and 'moistening mechanism, with the parts in true relation, rather than in the developed showing inFIGURES 2A and 2B; and

FIGURE 5 is a detailed side elevation of the block in r 3,404,626 Patented Oct. 8, 1968 which one end of the plate cylinder is removably mounted showing motor means for'moving the printing cylinder to and from impression position.

" The present invention has for an object the provision of a rotary, multicolor, offset web printing press in which printing and offset cylinders may be easily and readily replaced by others of widely different diameter; as well as the provision of such a web printing press in which the plate and offset cylinders for each color are movable toward and away from each other and may be returned to printing position with assurance that the pre-existing pressure between them has been reestablished.

A further object is the provision of a novel and improved rotary web offset printing press in which the offset and form cylinders, the form inking rollers and dampening rollers may be moved from printing position to nonprinting position, and may be returned to printing position with assurance that the predetermined pressure relationship between them have been reestablished as printing is resumed.

Still another object is the provision of a rotary web offset printing press in which the inking mechanisms are mounted on a carriage which is relatively movable toward and away from the plate cylinder or cylinders to be supplied with moisture and ink.

The invention further provides a rotary web printing press in which the several inking mechanisms are relatively movable into and out of operative relationship to their respective plate cylinders and are normally held in operatively engaging position with their plate cylinders by fluid pressure actuated means, other means being provided for accurately locating the inking mechanism and its form rollers relative to their plate cylinders at the same time accurately controlling the pres-sure with which the form rollers engage their respective plate cylinders.

' Further, provision is made by which the pressure between the form rollers may be individually adjusted to obtain the desired pressure relationship between each form roller and the vibrator roll by which ink is fed to it and the printing plate to which the form cylinder feeds ink.

Provision is also made for moving the form rollers into and out of operative inking arrangement with the plate f a plate cylinder while maintaining the form rollers in contact with the vibrator cylinder, and for so moving the form rollers from operative to inoperative position by fluid pressure actuated means. 7

Referring now in detail to the multicolor web planographic offset printing press illustrated .in the accompanying drawings which constitutes the present preferred and illustrative embodiment of the present invention, FIG- URE 1 schematically shows the press with two different sizes of plate and offset cylinders. This is a condition which would obtain when the press is being converted to print-an impression of a different length on the web, as for a different size of bag. At the left hand portion of FIGURE 1, there are provided plate and offset cylinders of small diameter, while at the right hand end, there are provided plate and offset cylinders of a much larger diameter. For actual operation, theplate and offset cylinders would be changed to be all of the same size, and the illustrative embodiment is adapted] to accommodate cylinders having a maximum size of about twice the minimum size which can be used.

As shown, the rotary web 'press is provided with cylinders to print in six colors on one side of the web 10, which usually comprises a web of paper, usually white and may be provided with a sufficiently good finish to take rather fine halftone images as well as the desired text matter.

. The web 10 enters the press from above and passes over guide roller 12 around guide roller 14 and then around impression cylinder 15, over impression cylinders 3 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24, after which it is delivered from the press through a drier and rewind (not shown). Rollers 26 and 28, one of which is driven serve to move the web through the press when a web break occurs, but do not pullon the web during printing.

Impression cylinders 15, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 are all of the same diameter and all are preferably provided with acontinuous cylindrical impression surface to support the web as it is passed. thereover and pressed thereagainshby the pressure exterted by the surface of an offset cylinder.

Three of the impression cylinders are supported at one side of the center of the press and three at the other side and are distributed so as to give the maximum spacing between them.

The impression cylinders are all gear driven at the same surface speed from their respective idler gears 30 which in turn are driven from a central bull gear 32 which in turn is driven from a pinion 34 driven from mitre gears driven from a vertical shaft 36 which in turn is driven by the main horizontal drive shaft 38.

As will be later described, the impression cylinder driving gears are each helically toothed to mesh with the bull gear 32, and may be axially moved so as to provide for precise circumferential register of each impression cylinder and the cylinders driven thereby through spur gearing.

Each impression cylinder on one of its ends is provided with a spur gear meshing with a spur gear fast to an offset cylinder 40 which in turn drives a spur gear fast to the plate cylinder 42 of the same printing couple.

The web printing press is provided with two inking carriages 46, one at either side of the central portion of the press, and in the present instance each carriage carries three inking mechanisms to provide ink supplies for three of the plate cylinders 42. The inking carriages 46 are movable toward and away from the center of the press so as to allow a pressman to work on the inking mechanisms or on the plate cylinders 42, as well as to allow for removal or replacement of the plate cylinders 42 and the offset cylinders 40, as well as to provide for substitution of offset and plate cylinders of different sizes.

The inking mechanisms, in their carriages 46 may be telescoped with respect to the printing mechanism, thereby allowing form rollers of the inking mechanism to be brought into proper inking relation to the respective plate cylinders. When in inking position, the several inking mechanisms supply each of the plate cylinders with ink, regardless of the diameter of the plate cylinder being used, and also provide for throw-off of the form rollers when printing is interrupted.

The drive relationship of the several impression, blanket and plate cylinders to one another and to the main drive are shown in Figures 2A and 2B, which also serves to show the cross-sectional construction of the several cylinders and their meshing gears.

The vertical drive shaft is provided with a mitre gear 50 which meshes with mitre gear 34 on shaft 52 which is fixed to a helical pinion 54 meshing with helically toothed bull gear 32 on shaft 56.

Helical gear 32 drives axially movable helical pinion 58 fixed on shaft 60 which at its other end has fixed to it a spur gear 62, all supported in suitable anti-friction bearings. When driven, the helical mesh of gears 32 and 58 tends to move pinions 58, 62 and their shaft axially in a direction from pinion 58 towards spurpinion 62, the shaft 60 having limited axial movement in its bearings.

Axial movement of shaft 60 is adjustably limited by means of a variably positionable stop rod 64 which is rotatably and threadedly mounted in press side frame 66 and a bracket 68 fixed to side frame 70. At its outer end rod 64 is provided with a threaded portion 72 which engages a threaded bracket 74 fixed to frame 66, and is also fixed to ahand wheel 76 by which rod 64 may be turned' to vary its axial position. Rotation of hand wheel 76 moves the shaft so as to vary the position of its end 78 which moves shaft 60 thru housing 70, thereby locating the shaft 60 and its gears as they move axially in-response to driving thrust, Any-such movement in either direction varies the circumferential relation of pinion 62 to the main gear 32 so as to make provision for proper adjustment of circumferential register relative to the web 10.

By meshing spur gearing, pinion 62 drives the corresponding impression cylinder 1 5, 16, 18, 20, 22 or. 24, and through its gear, a blanket cylinder 40 and aplate cylinder, The showing in FIGURES2A and 2B is a developed horizontal section which is typical for any of the impression cylinders.

The impression cylinders, such as -15, are rotatably mounted by antifriction bearings 80 on dead shafts 82 which are supported in fluid pressure actuated eccentrics 83 in the side frames 69 and 66 of the press. Actuation of eccentrics 83 serves to move the cylinder 15 to nonprinting position. The surface 84 of the impression cylinders is a smooth cylindrical of metal such as steel or cast iron. At one end, each impression cylinder is fixed to a spur gear 86 having a pitch diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the impression surface of the impression cylinder plus the thickness of the web to be printed. I

The offset or blanket cylinder 40 comprises a metal cylinder having a hollow interior through which passes a dead shaft 87 on which the cylinder is rotatably mounted by means of anti-friction bearings 88. At one end cylinder 40 is provided with a spur gear 90, meshing gear 86 to drive cylinder 40 at web speed, and at both of its ends cylinder 40 is provided with steel bearer rings 92 0f the same diameter as the pitch diameter of gear 90.

Blanket cylinder shaft 87 extends beyond the ends of cylinder 40 and at both ends is formed with-a flat (FIG- URE 3). At the ends of shaft 87, there are provided saddles 94 extending from blocks 96 each of which is laterally movable along a horizontal support 98 forming part of the press frame. The horizontal supports-98 are each formed with a longitudinally extending slot 99"which opens into a wider portion below its surface and receives a rib 116 formed integrally on the under side of the block, to guide the block and hold it against movement axially of the shaft 87. For normally holding the block against longitudinal movement, it is provided with two bolts 100 extending through the block, each bolt having an enlarged head at its lower end to fit into an enlarged portion below the slot 99, and on its upper end with a nut 102 by which the bolt 100 may be tightened 'to'secure the block 96 in its normal position. However, in' the event of a wrap-up of the web about the cylinder 4,0,.the blocks 96 can move laterally to avoid damage to the cylinder 40 or shaft 87. V i

The ends of the shaft 87 are securely held in their saddles 94 by metal plates 10.4..which are heldin position by cap screws 106. By removal of-the plates 104, and with the inking mechanisms backed away from the printing couples, and when the cylinders are in off-impression position, the cylinder 40 may b bodily lifted out for replacement. i1 '1 v The construction and mounting of the plate cylinder 42 is similar and its shaft is a dead shaft lll'having flattened ends by which it is mounted in saddles 94 projecting inwardly of the press frames, and eccentrically mounted on slidably movableblocks 112. Cylinder-42 isirotatably mounted on its shaft 111 by roller bearings 114, is driven by spur gear 116 at one end of'the. cylinder, and like cylinder 40 is provided with steel bearer rings 118 of the same diameter as the pitch diameter of the-gear 116;

For axial adjustmentof the register of plate cylinder, means are provided for minutely axially moving the cylinder 42 and its shaft-11=1.For this purposesaddles 104, at the ends of shaft 111 areslidably mounted in the blocks 112 for axial movement. At the drive end of cylinder 42,

the saddle 104 is formed as an extension of a cylindrical member 115 and member 115 is freely axially movable in the inner-end'of the threaded shaft 123 is rotatablymounted in a thrust plate 126 fixed to the outer end of member 118. On either side of plate 126, shaft 123 is provided with thrust collars 128 and 130, so that turning hand wheel 122, the shaft 111 and cylinder 42 are moved axially to register the image on the printing plate with the images on the plates of the other couples.

Means are provided for moving the plate cylinder 42 toward and from impression relation with respect to offset cylinder 40, and for this purpose a double acting fluid pressure motor is provided at each end of the plate cylinder shaft 111 operating on the supporting blocks 112 to move cylinder 42 toward and away from the blanket or offset cylinder 40. Each of the horizontally extending supports 98 has attached to its outer edge a rack 132 which is adapted to be engaged by a meshing pinion 119 in the block by which the block may be moved along the rack.

Cylindrical members 115 and 118 are slightly eccentric with respect to shaft 111, and as these members and the shaft are rotated, the plate cylinder 42 is moved to and from impression position with respect to offset cylinder 40. A fluid pressure motor having a cylinder 138 and a piston rod 136 are connected to block 112 and to a lever arm 134 to rotate the shaft 111 and its members 115 and 118 in sleeve 120. A similar motor is similarly connected at the other end of the shaft 111. Thus by the application of fluid pressure to oneend or the other of the cylinders 138, the plate cylinder 42 is moved to or from impression position.

Blocks 112, like blocks 9 6 are guided in channels 99 by means of the downwardly extending integral ribs 113 and the blocks 96 and 113'are normally held in their adjusted position by means of the bolts 100 having enlarged T-heads 101.

Blocks 112, and similarly blocks 96 are moved along rack 132 into working position by means of a removable pinion 119 inserta-ble into a hole at the lower portion of block 96, 112 and provided with a socket 119 to receive a key by which the pinion meshing with the teeth of rack 132 maybe propelled-into proper relationship with cylinder 40, and cylinder 40 with cylinder 15, at which time blocks 96 and 112 are clamped in position by tightening nuts 102 on their hold-down bolts 100.

By application of fluid pressure to one or the other ends of the two cylinders 138, one at either side of the press, the plate cylinder 42 is moved into or out of printing relation with respect to the blanket cylinder 40.

In printing position, fluid pressure is continuously appliedto cylinders 138 to-niaintain printing contact be tween the plate on cylinder 42 and the offset blanket on cylinder 40, and the bearer rings 92 rolling in contact with bearer rings 118 establish and precisely control the pressure exerted between the plate and the oifset blanket, and the plate and blanket cylinders may be moved into and out of contact with each other repeatedly, with the same pressure being automatically reestablished each time they are brought back into printing engagement.

Suitable provision is made for holding the offset blanket and the planographic or other printing plate on the cylinders 40 and 42, and the plate and blanket clamping rods are shown at 140 on the cylinders 40 and 42.

Similar mounting, driving, and register adjusting means are provided for each of the printing couples of the press, each couple being provided with fluid pressure motor means to move the plate cylinder and with similar bearer rings being provided for each of the offset and plate cylinders. r

-of side frames 170.

The several plate cylinders 42 are inked by their respective inking mechanisms, and where planographic printing plates are used, suitable means are provided for supplying each of the planographic plates with the moisture needed for the planographic process. 1 I

As shown in the illustrative embodiment of the invention, each plate cylinder 42 is supplied. with ink from a pair of form inking rollers which are supplied with-inkby rolling contact with a vibrator roll, which in turn is supplied with ink from a series of ink rolls and rollers deriving their ink from an ink fountain. Only the form rollers and last vibrator roll of the inking train are shown, as the fountain and inking train suppling the vibrator roll may be of conventional construction.

Where the plate is a planographic plate, a plurality of form inking rollers are used and means are also preferably provided for supplying moistening fluid to the first of the form rollers to contact with the planographic plate.

The form rollers, vibrator rolls and the remainder of the inking trains are mounted in the side frames of one or the other of the two inking carriages, the frames of whichare adapted to telescope with the press frames supporting the printing couples, one inking train being provided for each printing couple and so positioned that the form rollers of each of the inking trains will engage its respective plate cylinder at the same time as the others engage the other plate cylinders on the same side of the press.

The'telescoping of the inking carriages with respect tothe central portion of the printing press is also greatly advantageous in that it allows the inking mechanism and form inking rollers to be brought into proper contact with the plate cylinders of widely different diameters, which change in plate cylinder diameter requires a similar change in diameter of the offset cylinders.

Means are preferably provided for simultaneously throwing all of the form rollers into and out of inking position at the same time as the plate and offset cylinders are moved into and out of printing contact with each other and at the same time as the impression cylinders are moved into and out of printing contact with the offset or other printing cylinders.

As shown in the developed sectional view of FIGURES 4 and 2B each form inking roller 142 of which there are two for each plate cylinder 42, is rotatably journaled on its shaft 144 at either end of the roller, by, means of antifriction bearings 146. The inner race of each of the bearings 146 is mounted on an eccentric sleeve 148 which is angularly movable within a second eccentric 150, on which is rotatably mounted a bearer ring 152 by means of an antifriction bearing 154.

In addition to the second form roller 1142, vibrator roll is in rolling contact with distribution roller 180, and a transfer roller 220 rolls in contact with rollers and 142.'Due to the difference in diameters ofrollers 160, 142, 220 and 180, ink supplied to vibrator roll 160 is thoroughly mixed and uniformly distributed as it is applied from the surface of form roller 142 to the plate on plate cylinder 42.

Transfer roller 220 is rotatably mounted at its ends in antifriction bearings on its shaft 221 which bearings are mounted on the interior walls of pivoted segments 170.

Shaft 144 for the lower form roller 142 is rotatably mounted in its double eccentric sleeves so that its pressure relationship with respect to plate cylinder 42 may be varied. Shaft 144 is supported at its'ends in pivoted brackets 223 which are pivotally are pressed towards roll 160 by means of screws 225 threaded in brackets 226 supported on the inner faces Movement and away from the roll 160 is against a resilient member mounted in bracket 227 also fixed to side frame 170.

Roller 180 is mounted at its shaft ends in single eccentric mountings in arms 228 which are pivotally supported on shaft 221 and which press roller 180against roll160 mounted on shaft 221-and of the bracket 223 toward,

by means of screw members 225 threaded in brackets 226 which are mounted on members 170 and act against resilient members in brackets 227.

By reason of the double eccentric sleeves provided for the adjustment of the position of the shaft for roller 142, and the positional adjustment provided by arms 223 and screws 225, the roll 142 may be pivoted about roll 160 without pressure variation, and its pressure against roll 160 may be varied by screw 225, and against the form cylinder and the transfer roller 220 by its double eccentric mounting.

The pressure of distribution roller 180 against roll 160 may be varied by its pivotal mounting in arms 228, and against roller 220 by the eccentric mounting of the shaft for roller 180.

Great stability of the inking system is provided, and faults due to passage of the form roller over the gap in the plate cylinder are avoided or greatly reduced due to the relative location of the several rollers of the inking system. The lower form roller 142 is substantially held against deflection by roll 160 and by roller 220, which in turn is held against deflection by contact with roller 180. Such a pyramidal arrangement of the rollers 142, 220, 180 and 160 greatly increase the resistance to deflection of the form roller 142 as it encounters variations in the surface of a printing member, such as the gap at the ends of the printing plate.

The upper form roller 142a (which would be a lower form roller on the right-hand side of the press) is directly mounted for rotation on a pivoted side frame member 170, and by its double eccentric mounting is adjustably mounted for variable pressure contact with vibrator roll 160 and plate cylinder 42.

Shaft 144 is mounted at each end in a frame member 170 which is pivotally mounted to move about the shaft 158 of a vibrator roll 160 which in turn is rotatably mounted within the side frames 162 of an inking carriage, the side frames 162 being spaced closer together than the side frames 98 of the press, so that the inking carriage frames 162 may be telescoped with respect to the press frame, thereby allowing the form rollers 142 to contact with plate cylinders of widely different diameters.

As the axes of shafts 111, 144 and 160 do not all lie in the same plane, the axes for the two shafts 144 being spaced from the plane connecting the axes of shafts 111 and 160, the double eccentric mounting of shafts 144 by eccentrics 150 and 148 allow the pressure between the bearers 118 and 152 to be adjusted, while also allowing adjustment of the pressure at the contact area between the surface of the form rollers 142 and their vibrator roller while the pivotal frame mounting for the form rollers 142 about the vibrator roller 160 allows the form rollers to be thrown on or off printing position while maintaining them in rolling constant pressure contact with the surface of the vibrator roll 160.

Form rollers 142 are all provided with a resilient covering 143, usually of rubber, and the degree of pressure between the form rollers and their respective plate cylinders is limited by engagement of the bearer ring 152 with bearer ring 118, but may be varied by adjustment of eccentrics 150 and 148.

Form rollers 142 are journaled on their shafts 144 which are mounted at their ends in plates 170. Plates 170 are roughly segmented in shape and are duplicated at each end of the shafts 144. Plates 170 are journaled on a bearing sleeve 172 on the inking frame 162, coaxial with shaft 158 so that the rollers 142 maintain their set pressurecontact with the surface of the vibrator roll 160. The outer arcuate edges of paltes 170 are fitted to arcuate ways formed by the brackets 174 fixed to the inking frame 162. One such plate 170 is provided above and another below the vibrator roll 160, and one of the frames is adapted to support an ink transfer or distributing roller 180, while the other plate 170 supports the moistening roller 190 which supplies moisture to the form roller 142 first to contact the printing plate, when used in a planographic press. Preferably, and as illustrated an ink transfer idler roller 184 is provided to transfer ink from an ink train to roll then to roller 180, thence to roller 220 and finally to rollers 142, 142a which transfer the ink and apply it to the plate on form cylinder 42. This group of rollers 142 142a, 180, 184 and 220 cooperating with vibrator roll 160 provide a uniform feed of ink from the ink fountain to the plate on form cylinder 42.

Form roller 142a is a moistening roller as well as a form ink roller and receives moisture from a water supply roller as well as ink from the vibrator roll 160, thus applying moisture and ink to the printing plate just prior to the application of ink to the plate by the second form roller 142.

The form roller 142a first to contact the plate on plate cylinder 42, in the case of a planographic printing press is continuously supplied with the appropriate amount of moisture so that the hydrophilic areas of the plate on cylinder 42 remain ink-rejecting. For this purpose roller 190 having a hydrophilic surface such as a suitably etched chromium plated surface, rolls in contact with the first form roller 142a and is continually supplied with water from the trough 192 formed between rollers 190 and 194. Rollers 190 and 194 are rotatably mounted in a subframe 196 which is pivotally mounted to pivot about the shaft 198 of roller 194 so that roller 190 may be brought into and out of contact with form roller 142a Rollers 194 and 190 are rotatably mounted at their ends in the pivoted subframes 196, which are mounted on pivoted frames 170, at either end, the pivoted frames being centered and journaled on the journal member 172 in which shaft 158 is journaled and held in an external arcuate slideway 174 fixed to the frame members 162 of the inking mechanism.

Rollers 190 and 194 are driven at a relatively slow surface speed relative to the web speed or the surface speed of the vibrator roll 160.

A slow speed driven gear member 230 is mounted coaxial with the vibrator roll 160, and drives an idler gear 232 which meshes with a gear 234 fast on shaft 198 meshing with gear 236 fast on the shaft of roller 190. Thus, the rollers 194 and 190 are driven at slow speeds, while roller 142a is frictionally driven by roller 160 and assumes the surface speed of the vibrator roll 160 and plate cylinder 42.

Roller 190 is preferably a smoothly finished roller having a substantially uninterrupted surface. It has a surface which is preferably a hydrophilic chormium layer, while the surface of roller 194 has preferably a resilient layer.

For moving the form rollers 142a and the moisture applicator roller 190 into and out of operative position for printing, or for allowing the press to be mechanically operated without printing, fluid-pressure operated motors are connected to pivotally move the sub-frames as well as to move the moisture applicator roller into and out of contact with the first form roller 142a.

Double acting fluid pressure motors 200, 201, each comprising a cylinder 204 pivotally mounted on the inking frame 162 and connected to one pivoted frame 170 by piston rod 206 serve to move the form inking rollers 142 and 142:: into and out of inking relation to the printing plate on plate cylinder 42 while maintaining their contact with vibrator roll 160, the limit of engagement of the form rollers 142 with the plate being controlled by engagement of the form roller bearer 152 with the plate cylinder bearer 118.

Double acting fluid pressure motors 208, one at either end of the roll 190, are provided for pivotally moving the moistening roller 190 into and out of water supplying position with respect to roller 142a. Motor 208 comprises a fluid pressure cylinder 210 pivotally mounted on frame 170 has a piston rod 212 pivotally connected to one arm of sub-frame 196 to rotate the sub-frame 196 about shaft 198 and to bring the roller 190 into and out of contact with form roller 142a, the pressure of roller 190 against form roller 142a being limited by engagement of the stop portion 214 of sub-frame 196 against an adjustable stop 216 mounted on frame 170.

The printing press of the present invention may utilize as many as six or more printing couples but obviously some of the advantageous features of the invention are applicable to printing presses adapted to print in a fewer number of colors, and certain features are applicable to a single color printing unit. The invention has also been illustrated with respect to a planographic offset printing press, but certain of its features are equally applicable to rotary planographic, letterpress and letterpress offset printing presses.

With the printing press of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention plate and offset cylinders of widely different sizes may be used, and it is possible to substitute cylinders having a maximum diameter of more than twice that of the minimum diameter of cylinders which may be used, thereby providing an extremely wide variety of sheet or blank sizes which may be cut from the multicolor printed web.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary web offset printing press including in combination a central rotatable driving gear at either side of which is located at least one printing unit, each such printing unit comprising an impression cylinder, an offset cylinder, a plate cylinder and inking mechanism, said offset cylinders and plate cylinders being mounted at each of their ends by separate blocks, support members at either end of the offset and plate cylinders on which said blocks are slidably movable toward and away from the impression cylinder for mounting offset and plate cylinders of widely different sizes, means for securing said blocks to said supports in the desired position, said offset and plate cylinders having shafts which are shorter than the distance between said support members whereby the offset and plate cylinders and their shafts may be removed from the press by movement normal to the shaft, said inking mechanisms being mounted in carriages movable toward and from the printing cylinders, said carriages having side frames extending along the direction of carriage movement, and spaced from each other a distance less than the spacing of said supporting members whereby said side frames may pass between said supporting members to position the inking mechanisms in operative relation to the press.

2. A rotary web printing press including in combination a central rotatable driving gear at either side of which is located at least one printing unit, each such printing unit comprising an impression cylinder, a plate cylinder and inking mechanism, said plate cylinders being mounted at each of their ends by separate blocks, support members at either end of the plate cylinders on which V said blocks are slidably movable toward and away from the impression cylinder for mounting plate cylinders of widely different sizes, means for securing said blocks to said supports in the desired position, said plate cylinders having shafts which are shorter than the distance between said support members whereby the plate cylinders and their shafts may be removed from the press by movement normal to the shaft, said inking mechanisms being mounted in carriages movable toward and from the printing cylinders, and said carriages having side frames extending along the direction of carriage movement, and spaced from each other a distance less than the spacing of said supporting members whereby said side frames may pass between said supporting members to position the inking mechanisms in operative relation to the press.

3. A rotary web offset printing press including in combination a central rotatable driving gear at either side of which is located at least one printing unit, each such printing unit comprising an impression cylinder, an offset cylinder, a plate cylinder and inking mechanism, said offset cylinders and plate cylinders being mounted at each of their ends by separate blocks, support members at either end of the offset and plate cylinders on which said blocks are slidably movable toward and away from the impression cylinder for mounting offset and plate cylinders of widelydifferent sizes, means for securing said blocks to said-supports in the desired position, said ink ing mechanisms being mounted in carriages movable toward and from the printing cylinders, said carriages having side frames extending along the direction of carriage movement, and spaced from each other a distance less than the spacing of said supporting members whereby said side frames may pass between said. supporting mem bers to position the inking mechanisms in operative relation to the press.

4. A rotary web printing press including in combination a central rotatable driving gear at either side of which is located at least one printing unit, each such printing unit comprising an impression cylinder, a plate cylinder and inking mechanism, said plate cylinders being mounted at each of their ends by separate blocks, sup port members at either end of the plate cylinders on which said blocks are slidably movable toward and away from the impression cylinder for mounting plate cylinders of widely different sizes, means for securing said blocks to said supports in the desired position, said plate cylinders having shafts which are shorter than the distance between said support members whereby the plate cylinders and their shafts may be removed from the press by movement normal to the shaft, said plate cylinders being rotatable on their respective shafts, and the ends of the shafts are mounted in eccentric members rotatably supported in said blocks, means for oscillating said eccentrics to move the plate cylinder to and from impression position, said shaft serving to prevent relative movement of the eccentric at one end with respect to the eccentric at the other end of said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,256,800 9/1941 Barber 101-l81 2,334,820 11/1943 Hawley l01-349 2,435,791 2/1948 Luehrs.

2,460,504 2/1949 Huebner 10l216 XR 2,542,229 2/1951 Bojanower et al 101182 2,988,989 6/1961 Crawford 101-181 XR 3,034,429 5/1962 Brodie et al. 10l-218 3,041,967 7/1962 Nyst-rand l01-l82 3,108,536 10/1963 Harrison l0l218 3,190,218 6/1965 Willard 101247 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. J. R. FISHER, Assistant Examiner. 

